Movie Games: Megaplex Madness

Here's an odd piece of trivia about myself: I'm a "time management" game junkie. I know that most of 'em are pretty much the EXACT same game, only with different settings and colors and sounds, but whenever a new 'TM' game hits the scene, I have to check out the free trial. And yes, I buy more than my share, trust me. (For those who aren't following, some time management games are Diner Dash, Cake Mania, Turbo Pizza, and (my very favorite) Ranch Rush.) Basically in these games you're required to oversee a diner / bakery / day-care / boutique / farm and get a lot of jobs done in the quickest time possible. But since the large percentage of "casual gamers" are female, most of these games are rather girly in nature -- which doesn't really bother me, but I'd really like to see at least ONE "TM" game that deals with monsters, lasers, and carnage.

But now I have something even better: In the new game from newbie developers Gold Sun Games, I can click the living crap out of fifty levels of Megaplex Madness. And while the cinema gimmick is more than enough to get me excited, I'm happy to announce -- as a veteran of over 50 "TM" games -- that this one is definitely in the Top 20. And here's why: Yes, the gameplay is slick and simple, and yes the graphics and interface are jazzy and cool -- but the most integral part of any time-management game is in the "upgrade" department, and this is where Megaplex Madness shines.

When you're not dragging clueless customers from box office to popcorn to bathroom, you'll be upgrading your snack bars, ticket queues, and various lobby items. But even if you get a GREAT score on each level, you'll be a little short on cash when it comes to the extra upgrades -- which means you have to play nifty old-school arcade games in order to raise some extra money. Fun fun! The (optional) mini-arcade and the expansive upgrade menu means a LOT of replayability, and that's another big key when it comes to casual games: Will you want to play again after you've finished? I'd say absolutely, doubly so if you're a big TM freak like I am. And quadruply so if you're a movie nut.